[Peace-discuss] Fwd: Remembering Reagan

[C. G. Estabrook]

[The cartoon is too true, Mort. Here's Chomsky's take on what was called
"an electronic Nuremberg rally" for Reagan.  --CGE]

I believe this is the first such extravaganza in the US. ...

There was something similar after the JFK assassination, but of course the
assassination of a living president is quite different. I don't recall
anything else remotely similar, perhaps since FDR, in the midst of a war,
and of course he really was a significant figure, whatever one's judgment
of him. Reagan is another story: mostly a PR creation in the first place,
and massively so in recent years.

During his years in office, Reagan was not particularly popular. Gallup
just published poll figures comparing him during office with other
presidents. His average ratings during his years in office were below
Kennedy, Johnson, Bush I, and Clinton; above Nixon, Ford, Carter. This is
averages during their terms in office. By 1992 he was ranked just next to
Nixon as the most unpopular living ex-president. Since then there has been
an immense PR campaign to convert him into a revered and historic figure,
if not semi-divine, and it's doubtless had an effect, radically shifting
the rankings. Not on the basis of facts: rather, extremely effective
marketing. The current performance is reminiscent of the death of Hirohito
and Soviet leaders. One of the more depraved moments of US media. The
lying is quite impressive, even by people who surely know better.

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